Looking for a unique name for your new baby girl? Look no further than the ancient Greeks!

Greek mythology is full of wonderful stories and beautiful names for girls. Besides being different, your daughter will have her own goddess myth to go along with her name.

Does your baby girl seem serious and all knowing? Does she look like a little queen in her bassinette? The name Hera will fit your queenly daughter, since Hera was the queen of all the Greek goddesses and queen of heaven. Hera was the wife of Zeus and the mother of many other goddess and gods such as Ares, Hebe and Eris. She was the goddess of marriage and womanhood.

Maybe your little one makes fierce faces when you try to change her nappies and seems to know what you are saying to her. Athena may be the name for her. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and the patron of Athens, a city known for its culture and wisdom. She is portrayed as a virgin warrior; tough and beautiful as well as brilliant. She was also great at crafts such as basket weaving and sewing.

Similar to Athena is Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Artemis loved her dogs and ran around the forests with fifty of them along with a bunch of wood nymphs. She is the goddess of the moon, and coolly beautiful. She was known as the protector of young women. Her twin brother was Apollo. Does your daughter love her dog? Does she stare into the moon and smile? Maybe the name Artemis is for her.

Calypso sounds like a little girl who loves to dance! Besides having a name and a musical beat named after her, Calypso was a sea nymph, the daughter of a Titan named Atlas (the one holding up the earth). She figures in the story of the Odyssey when she beguiles Odysseus to stay on her island with her and keep her company for seven years. Calypso is usually portrayed as an exotic figure and one name that would suit an unusual baby.

Is your little one always laughing and cooing? Does she have a sunny nature? The name Thalia would fit. Thalia was a goddess of beauty and one of the three graces. Her name meant good cheer. Or maybe her sister Euphrosyne, meaning mirth would suit her, although that name is a mouthful, and probably would be tough for a young one to learn how to spell!

Lastly, there is Penelope. She wasn’t a goddess, but she was a woman of strong moral character. She was the long suffering wife of Odysseus who stayed true to her man for many, many years, while he was out having adventures and flings with beautiful women.

This article only touches on the many names available to use for naming your baby girl taken from the ancient Greeks. Dive into any volume of Greek mythology and you may find a name you love, that is unique and fits your special girl.

If I had a penny for every time someone told me to “beware of the potato”, I’d be a rich woman by now. The legendary tuber has long been a victim of misunderstanding. Since the late 1500’s up until today the potato has been condemned for a variety of reasons. In 1580, noted explorer Sir Walter Raleigh brought back some potato plants from the Americas to Ireland and gifted some to Queen Elizabeth I. Unfortunately, the Queen’s palace cooks were not very well versed with the funny-looking tuber and instead of cooking the potatoes, they boiled the stems and leaves before presenting it to the court at mealtime. For those of you who are ignorant of the potato plant’s more sinister characteristics, it contains toxic compounds called glycoalkaloids, majority of which are concentrated in the leaves and stems of the plant. As such, all those who consumed the boiled preparation, fell deathly ill and consequently, potatoes were banned from the Queen’s court.

Following this, malicious rumors seemed to follow the unfortunate tuber to whichever part of the world it was introduced. In France, for instance, the potato was attributed with near demonic status and accused of causing vile diseases ranging from leprosy to syphilis as well as being responsible for sterility and unhindered sexuality alike. The potato became so infamous gradually, that in a certain French town, an announcement was made to the effect that the potato being detrimental to human, animal and soil health, its cultivation be stopped immediately.

Modern times have found other reasons to malign the benevolent vegetable. Even though the potato is one of the foods people delight in most nowadays, a diet-driven and health-crazy society today points out that the potato, being extremely rich in starch, can hardly boast any other kind of nutritional value. People today, are so caught up in the anti-carbohydrate, zero-calorie, diabetes-free-life campaign, that they fail to see the potato for what it really is – a highly nutritious vegetable, which when prepared and eaten in the right way and in the correct quantities, tends to help more often than hurt.

According to a United Nations report, the global potato production reached a high of 315 million tonnes in 2006 and today, nearly 1/3rd of the global production can be attributed to China and India-two of the world’s most populous countries. According to sources, on an average a world citizen consumes around 33kg (73 lbs) of potatoes-yearly! In fact, the average American consumes nearly 140 lbs per year while Germans eat around 200 lbs annually! Although there are some basic standard kinds of potatoes, 4,000 different varieties are cultivated worldwide. The potato was also the first vegetable to be grown in space in 1995, with the aim of feeding astronauts and future space colonies! Given the efforts required to grow so many kinds of potatoes and the production and consumption volumes worldwide, it is hard to think of the tater as a malignant, poisonous vegetable poised to kill with syphilis or obesity. And as it turns out, the potato is anything but! Here’s a list of some common potato myths that trouble people even today.

Myth 1: The potato is not a vegetable

The potato, although a tuberous root, is classified as a vegetable in the Food Guide Pyramid. However, it is also sometimes referred to as an edible root or a tuber. The potato is an important part of the total recommended daily servings of vegetables. One medium-size potato counts as one cup of starchy vegetables.

Myth 2: Potatoes are fattening

Nutritionally speaking, a potato is about 80% water and 20% solid and pretty much as stocked up on nutritional value as one might expect from any normal vegetable. A raw or baked potato with skin normally contains 100 calories, 22g carbohydrates, 3g of protein and NO fat! I bet that’s wonderful news to all the diet-stricken people out in the world who have been told that eating potatoes is suicide for a weight loss program. This is totally untrue if it is eaten in all its goodness-baked, mashed, boiled, roasted, steamed or stewed. Although a potato looks big, fleshy and downright dangerous to the Atkins devotee, it will in itself not contribute much to one’s weight gain, owing to the large water content in it. However, a potato with the additional butter or sour cream topping, served as chips/fries or baked with cheese will not only hamper weight loss, it WILL contribute to weight gain as well as cholesterol and blood sugar issues. While a simple baked potato would boast not more than 100 calories and no fat, a small packet of French fries would easily account for around 210 calories in addition to extra fat.

Myth 3: Potato chips are vegetables

Although this common potato myth opines that potato chips and crisps count as vegetables in the food guide pyramid, this is totally misleading. The blatant fact of the matter is that although potatoes in their raw form are classified in the vegetable group, potato chips which contain almost 61% fat are not.

Myth 4: Potatoes contain simple carbohydrates

Potatoes contain complex carbohydrates, which are absolutely essential for the energy needs of the body and brain. Most of these carbs are present in the forms of starch. A portion of this starch which is resistant to digestion by enzymes in the stomach and small intestine, reach the large intestine almost intact and provides the body with its much required fiber needs.

Myth 5: Carbohydrates are the only nutrients available in a potato

A medium sized raw white potato or baked in skin, is also a powerhouse of other nutrients. It typically contains almost 35% of Vitamin C, 20% Vitamin B6, 15% Iodine and 10% each of Copper, Iron and Niacin, 8% each of Folic Acid, Phosphorous and Magnesium, 4% of Thiamin and Zinc and traces of Vitamin A. During the Alaskan Klondike gold rush in the late 1800’s, potatoes were so highly valued by miners for their Vitamin C content, that they were traded for gold. So much for busting Myth number 5!

Myth 6: All of a potato’s nutrients lie in its skin

Although most of its protein content is concentrated within its thin layer of skin, all the other nutrients are evenly distributed across the skin and body of the potato. So go ahead and enjoy the yummy goodness of the entire spud!

Myth 7: Potatoes have no anti-oxidants

Although there are no approved claims of anti-oxidants in potatoes, certain research studies in the recent years do state that potatoes have a high probability of containing anti oxidants such as but not limited to Anthocyanin and Carotenoids(apart from the established richness in Vitamin C).

Myth 8: Potatoes taste nice only when cooked according to high-fat recipes.

Try an Indian potato curry with boiled potatoes and spice. If you’re not into Asian cuisine, try topping a baked potato with salsa or low fat sour cream or even low fat cheese. Bake potatoes without cheese in tomato sauce with a hint or garlic and herbs served with steamed veggies or asparagus on the side. Alternately grill them with tarragon leaves and other herbs. The avenues are multitudinous-creativity waiting to be explored. All with the same end-result- a yummy low fat, high carb, nutrition-packed meal waiting to be devoured!

Myth 9: White potatoes are bad for you-eat sweet potatoes instead!

Wrong. A sweet potato, fried and served with cheese, would be just as bad as regular fries. The goodness of a vegetable-any vegetable- depends on the method of preparation and the quantity of consumption. Although both contain the same number of calories on average, the sweet potato has been known to contain lesser starch, more vitamin C, and almost thrice the amount of Beta Carotene in a white potato. However if sugar is a consideration, the white variety would win hands on due to the higher sugar content in a sweet potato. Therefore it would ideally be safe to say that raw white potatoes and sweet potatoes complement each other nutritionally and neither is “bad” for the body.

As long as the potatoes you consume are cooked in fat-free ways and you substitute the side servings of cheese, bacon bits, sour cream and creamy sauce with green veggies, corn and carrots, be rest assured of a good, enjoyable, healthy meal. So go ahead and enjoy your taters the way they should be enjoyed-guilt free and risk free!

Standing majestically on the ridgeline three blocks north of Waterbury Connecticut’s Town Green is the Benedict-Miller House, a visual center point of this historic neighborhood. The colorful three story mansion is built on a monumental scale with a quilt work of multiple gables, crisscrossed diagonal boards and ornate stick-work detail. It was built in 1879 by Charles Benedict, whose company at the time was the largest manufacturer of brass appliances and fixtures in America – as well as the Mayor of Waterbury.

The Benedict-Miller House is a Queen Anne/Stick style mansion designed by the architectural firm of Palliser, Palliser & Co who specialized in Gothic and Queen Anne cottages and designed several houses for P.T. Barnum. The hilltop south facing view overlooks the city of Waterbury and the Naugatuck Valley with many large mature maple trees and landscaping crowning its hilltop setting.

The Benedict-Miller’s front facade with its multiple gables, railings and stick-work detail is dominated by the use of contrasting colors, materials and free flowing asymmetrical design. The three story estate has eighteen projecting gables that rise to steep peaks together with four chimneys giving the Benedict-Miller House a strong vertical and ascendant quality in a well integrated design executed on a massive scale.

One of the most elaborate houses built by Palliser, Palliser & Co the Benedict-Miller House helped popularize in America the pattern books they published at the end of the 19th century. George Palliser was an English builder who came to Bridgeport in 1873 with the intention of making well designed and well built houses affordable to people who could not afford to hire an architect. Palliser developed the idea of selling plans for houses with prices that depended on their size and finish, along with advice on plumbing, paint and hardware.

Although the Benedict-Miller House was one of Palliser, Palliser and Co.’s most elaborate houses, it gained state-wide attention during construction for its “sensible” new aesthetic promoted by the architects. The first story is principally composed of pressed red brick and terra cotta contrasting in color and texture with the upper stories which was a common feature of the Queen Anne architectural style. The second story is vertical and horizontal boards that are the structural members of the house frame. The third story is scalloped wooden shingles with patterned woodworking in the gables creating a house rich in ornate detail and contrasting colors.

However, not long after its completion, Charles Benedict died suddenly of pleurisy in 1881 after returning from a voyage to England and the accounting of his affairs indicates he may not have finished moving into the new house. His married daughter and his widow moved into the house.

In 1889 the estate was subdivided and house sold to Charles Miller, the President of Miller and Peck, a prosperous retail store specializing in dry goods and carpets.

The city of Waterbury acquired the Benedict-Miller House in 1942 to provide a permanent university campus in the city and as an inducement to the University of Connecticut to remain in Waterbury. From 1955 until 2002 it was the administrative and faculty offices of the Waterbury campus of the University of Connecticut when it was sold to Yeshiva Gedolah, a school for Orthodox Jews.

Its massive scale and location crowning the ridgeline three blocks north of Waterbury’s town green makes the Benedict-Miller House one of Waterbury, Connecticut’s most important historic homes.

Do you remember the fun and excitement you had playing board games when you were young? But now that you have grown up, they may seem a little boring. Consider adding a spicy twist to the rules, make them Fun Foreplay and stimulate your sex life. Combine the rush of an intense competitive game with the intimacy and sensual delights of extended physical pleasure. With a bit of imagination, you can turn any ordinary game into an opportunity for great sex. And, with sex at stake, you both win every time.

Essentially any game for two (or more) can be enhanced using sex as a reward for the winner. To make things even more interesting, assign intimate activities to various types of events or outcomes in the game. For instance, landing on a certain spot earns a passionate kiss or scoring a specific number of points entitles you to a sensual treat. Once you get the hang of this, you will start thinking of all kinds of loving ideas you can assign to each potential event in the game.

When creating an erotic variation from one of your own favorite games, introduce a range of different intimate activities. Design them in a way that encourages you to sample various types and intensities of stimulation for a total sensual experience. More exotic activities could be assigned to rare events or as rewards for exceptional skill. Since you both have many erogenous zones to play with, try to avoid excessive repetition of any specific sensual delight (unless you really, really like it). And, of course, write the activities down so you know what the stakes are.

For shy or slightly inhibited lovers, playing a regular game together can help you both get into the mood. Prepare an inviting play area that suits the stimulating activities you have in mind (pillows on the floor in front of a glowing fire with candles, wine and soft music is good). Then slyly introduce foreplay rewards and forfeits into the game. Include periodic, paced clothing removal — being forced to strip adds to the excitement. Build the intensity by escalating to more explicit types of sensual intimacy as the game progresses.

Some example erotic game ideas based on classic board games are described below:

• Queens Gone Wild is an erotic variation of chess with a special focus on the queen. It incorporates stripping and foreplay activities based on how the queen is played. And, as with many women, in this game she gets to play again and again. Although the ultimate goal is to mate the king, playing with the queen makes this game more interesting. When a queen takes a piece, delightful pleasures result. When a queen is taken, even more fun takes place. Queens have the ability to come again and again — for a price. Getting your naughty queen back in the game will have you stripping to pay the ransom.
• Erotic Risk is a risqué game of world conquest and domination for lovers that leads you through an increasingly more intense sequence of foreplay activities. The ultimate goal, of course, is to dominate each other and have fun doing it. Foreplay activities are performed when you capture countries from your lover. As the conflict escalates and more card sets are turned in, so does the intensity of the foreplay. You will strip yourself bare to gain an advantage. Win by conquering all the countries of the world. The victor receives the spoils of war and becomes supreme ruler with corresponding rewards.
• Erotic Monopoly is an erotic adaptation of Monopoly that allows you to buy happiness in the form of physical stimulation. Rather than renting houses, you build pleasure parlors and sell your special services. Sensual activities are performed when a player lands on your properties and pays the appropriate fee. Each side of the board corresponds to the level, type and quality of services available. As the monetary stakes increase with property improvements, so does the intensity of foreplay. You win when your lover has no money to pay for love and must sell their services to you.
• Sexy Sorry! is an erotic variation of Sorry! It incorporates stripping and intimate activities when you bump your lover. When you send them back to the start, saying Sorry! just isn’t enough — apologize with sensual loving. Assign each card number a specific pleasuring technique to use to sooth and excite. And, when you get a piece home (in bed waiting), your lover strips off an article of clothing in anticipation of activities to come.

Erotically spiced games provide an exciting and fun way to introduce sensually playful activities as a means to increase your desire and anticipation for Great Sex. Sometimes foreplay becomes a routine path to sex without giving it the proper time, creativity and energy it deserves. These classic board games with a sexy twist can help pace the stimulating activities. And, even though you know the erotic possibilities at stake in the game, not knowing exactly in what sequence or how often creates an element of delightful surprise. The competitive nature of the game combined with just the right amount of strategy helps build the sexual tension (for a more intense release later) and increase the excitement. Pick a pleasure game that both of you will enjoy and have fun playing together with or without sex involved.

There are a number of different Chess pieces available on a board that a game of Chess can be acted out with. Each of these pieces have a very strict set of rules which must be followed when using them and it is through the manipulation of these pieces that a victory will be won by one side or the other. Knowing everything about the pieces will only help a player in gaining that victory, giving them an edge when it comes to thoroughly understanding all of the varied strengths and weaknesses of each of the pieces available.

The King is the most important piece on a Chessboard. It is around this figure that this entire game revolves and the loss of a King means defeat for any player. The King is one of the weaker Chess pieces on the board, with the ability to move only one square at a time in any direction, with the exception of Castling. It can never come into danger from any other piece and if it is placed into a position where danger may ensue, the King must either be moved to safety, the piece placing the King in danger must be captured, or something must be moved, blocking the path.

The Queen, however, is the most powerful piece available on the board. It may move as many spaces as is possible either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The only restrictions placed upon it are those of the Knight’s movements: in an irregular shape or jumping over other pieces. With this vast power of the Queen, it is often a priority for players to remove another player’s Queen from the game, as the endgame can be notoriously difficult to win with one or more Queens in play.

Bishops are allowed to move as many spaces as they wish, but only ever in a diagonal position. Because of this, Bishops have their limitations as they will always rest on a square of the same color on which they began the game. Their range, however, often proves to be an asset. Knights have the most unusual movement requirements out of any Chess piece. They are restricted to move either two spaces vertically and one horizontally, or one space vertically and two spaces horizontally, making their finished move look like an “L.” This unique movement pattern is both an advantage and a disadvantage for a player, as it allows unique striking patterns that cannot always be avoided, but it can also provide more problems when it comes to making a retreat.

Rooks move as many spaces as is possible in either a horizontal or vertical direction. They are generally considered to be stronger pieces than Bishops or Knights, placing them just lower in power than the Queen. Rooks are one of the most advantageous pieces to hold in an endgame, often helping to quickly bring about a victory. Pawns, on the other hand, are the weakest pieces of the game. They can only move forward one space at a time, with exception of their first move, and they can only capture diagonally. The advantage about Pawns, however, if if a player can make one reach the other side of the board, the Pawn may be promoted into another piece of greater value, making them dangerous, the closer they get to the other side. With this basic knowledge, Chess can become a greater game of long-term planning and execution.

There are a number of ways a girl can get a guy to look at you but they usually involve high heels and a stage with a DJ spinning “Cherry Pie” in the background. Instead of entering the adult entertainment business, first read a few of these suggestions to get your ex-boyfriend to look at you again.

Step 1: Let Your Pain Show: A guy will feel less resentment towards you if he sees that you’re actually hurting. You don’t have to wear a t-shirt with his face on it but being too confident and quickly over him makes him feel that he was never a big part of your life to begin with.

Step 2: Be A Cutie: A guy will look at you if you sparkle yourself up a little bit. Like we said, you don’t need fishnet stockings but dressing a little nicer and doing your hair will attract your ex and give you more confidence at the same time.

Step 3: Don’t Look At Him: You’re a woman, you have the power. Remember this little word of advice because you’ll need to resist the urge to chase after your ex man. Guys can be territorial and if they see you out and about having fun without them, they’ll come crawling to you.

Step 4: Peace Out For Awhile: If you’re hovering around your ex everyday, he won’t have time to realize what he’s missing without you. Your best bet to get him to look at you again is to take some time away and disappear from his life for a few weeks. Toning up your body in this absence can serve as an added bonus to getting him back when you reappear.

Step 5: Be The Queen: Don’t think of your ex-boyfriend as the king, where you’ll do anything as his loyal servant to appease him, instead you be the queen. Act as if breaking up with you is his loss and you aren’t going to go courting him no matter how bad it hurts.

Step 6: Carrie Yourself: Be like “Sex & The City” and surround yourself with friends. This is a great way to reconnect with ladies you might have ignored while you were dating and it gives you partners to go to the clubs with, either to make your ex-man jealous or to find a new one.

Step 7: Make Him Come Looking: Make your appearances short and sweet but make sure he notices you. You might pop into a party then quickly dash out to go home and cry through your Mascara but for all he knows, you’re heading to different parties with other strange men. Be mysterious, lead him on, and most importantly, stay out of the strip clubs.

Maundy Money are coins traditionally given out by the Monarch as a gift to the poor at Royal Maundy. The ceremony, which is associated with Christianity, is held on Maundy Thursday which is the day before Good Friday. The Maundy set consists of four coins, denominated one penny, two pence, three pence and four pence. The number of sets given out to each man and woman is equivalent to the age of the Monarch in years.

History

Royal Maundy probably dates back to the 13th Century. Maundy derives from mandatum which Jesus said meaning ‘that ye love one another’. It was the act of washing the feet of the poor and giving food and clothing to the poor. The Royal Families of the middle ages copied the ceremony as a way of showing humility.

By 1699 the Monarch opted to send a representative rather than attend themselves, and not long after the act of washing feet was abandoned. By the 19th century the Royals thought that giving money was more convenient than food and clothes and originally gave coins of the day but later gave specially made silver coins.

It was not until 1931 that King George V restarted the tradition that the Monarch attended in person. Queen Elizabeth almost always attends and has only missed a few ceremonies. The ceremony was traditionally in or near London (mainly Westminster Abbey) but in recent years has moved around the country at various Cathedrals such as Leicester, Sheffield, Manchester, York Minster and Armagh.

The coins used to be given to the poor but these days are given to people nominated for their work done in the local Church. So on (say) the Queen’s 90th birthday, she would give 90 sets to selected men and 90 sets to selected women. The coins would be issued in a leather purse; a white one contains the Maundy coins, and a red purse containing current coinage as an additional gift.

The Maundy Coins

The four coins are specially made: one penny, two pence, three pence and four pence. They are not the same coins as in circulation and are quite small (between 11.1 mm and 17.6 mm).

Since decimalisation these have been upgraded by law from penny to new penny. They are made from Stirling silver (92.5% silver) and although specifically made for this ceremony they are still legal tender. The design is virtually unchanged from 1822.

The reverse, which is a crowned numeral within an oak wreath, was created by Jean Baptiste Merlen back in 1822 and has only been altered slightly since then.

The obverse shows the head of the monarch as you would expect. However, if you look at the Queen Elizabeth obverse you can see that the portrait is the original portrait used from when she first issued coins; although the Queen has had about five portraits the original (by Mary Gillick) is still used.

Even back in Victorian days the recipients of Maundy money soon sold their sets for a premium, especially around the time of the Jubilee when Americans prized the souvenir. The purses could also fetch a handsome amount.

Besides the sets given out by the Monarch, many other sets are minted for official gifts and for collectors. These are issued in a case rather than a purse. Many were given to Mint workers or other officials. Maundy sets could be ordered from the bank until 1908, when 9,929 were minted in that year. Dealers scrambled for sets and sold them at high profit. This eventually got a little out of hand and the Mint cut back production heavily. In recent years the mintage numbers have been around 1600-1900 sets.

As we all know, communication is absolutely vital and critical to our success in life. If we are not communicating our

message, if we are not speaking out loud what is within us, we aren’t sharing with other people who we really are, and that can leave us feeling frustrated and lonely.

The funny thing is, most of us think we’re amazing communicators. I can’t tell you how many well-educated, successful adults have told me that they know how to communicate. Most people think they do.

The reality is,

in order to be really GOOD at something,

you have to study it.

The same applies for communication. You have to really look at the effective and ineffective ways to go about getting your message across. There are ways to positively communicate our thoughts and ideas to the people we love so that our concerns are really given the attention they deserve.

You’d be surprised at how easy it is to avoid the pitfalls and frustrations that come from mis-communicating, lack of communication or just downright BAD communication.

What’s even more amazing to me is…

…how the story of Queen Esther continues to apply to modern day issues. If you really study her behavior, you can ascertain from her struggle just how great of a communicator she was.

Queen Esther’s 7 Best Communication Secrets

Secret # 1 – Position yourself.

In the book of Esther, we can read the passage, “Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace in front of the king’s hall.” Just to give you a little bit of context, this is when Esther is about to go communicate something before the king. She positions herself very well.

We don’t see Esther running in ragged with her hair flying everywhere, screaming.

She’s not frantic, she’s not overbearing. She has put on her royal robes, literally, and I think for us we want to put on our own, metaphorical, royal robes. When we have something to voice, in a work setting, a marriage, etc, it’s important to calmly present your thoughts–and that comes from within. That comes from believing in what you have to say, from owning it.

Secret # 2 – Set your intention.

Most people just talk without thinking. Sometimes we eat without thinking, Or sometimes we’ll even drive without thinking. Have you ever driven somewhere and you’re like, “how did I get here?”

Esther had a clear intention when she spoke to the King. She had one thing to accomplish. You can feel how strongly she knew what she had to do. She knew she risked death by asking the King for something, and because her intention was so powerful, she was able to do it.

Think about that if you want to create something different in your world this week, if you set a powerful intention, you can change even the course of what would ordinarily happen. What ordinarily would have happened for a queen to go before the king without being summoned is that she would be killed. But Esther didn’t have that intention.

She had the intention to go and deliver a message. Ask yourself, what is your intention when you speak? Is your intention to get people’s approval? Is your intention to want to punish somebody? Is your intention to hide and to be defensive? Is your intention to express love? Be very clear on what your intention is.

Secret # 3 – Masculine or Feminine Communication?

This is not about gender. It’s about knowing when to use your feminine energy and when to use your masculine. Esther used her masculine energy when she was commanding orders, issuing ultimatums.

You communicate with your masculine energy when you are in a leadership position. Feminine communication is more about being receptive. It’s about BEING, not DOING. It’s about reacting to masculine energy in an engaging way; it’s about remembering that you are a powerful woman and sometimes the subtleties of your actions, your softness, communicates clearer than your words.

So be be sure to let yourself communicate like the Queen you are this week. Know that you have a voice and it’s meant to be heard!

© 2007 Gina Ratliffe

Synergy Books (2006)

ISBN 9781933538303

Reviewed by Ian McCurley (age 13) for Reader Views (4/07)

Tyler R. Tichelaar of Reader Views is visiting for the second time with Jayel Gibson. Jayel was here last month to talk to us about the first book in her “Ancient Mirrors” series, titled “Dragon Queen.” Now she is back to talk about its recently published sequel, “The Wrekening.” We are also fortunate to be joined by Ian McCurley, our thirteen-year-old reviewer.

Jayel Gibson is the author of several fantasy novels. Her writing is heavily influenced by Celtic folklore, mythology, and role-playing games. After teaching elementary school for fourteen years, she quit teaching in 2003 to devote herself full-time to writing.

Tyler: Welcome, Jayel. It’s great to have you back. To begin, would you tell us a little about the “Ancient Mirrors” series in general?

Jayel: Thank you, Tyler

“Ancient Mirrors” is a fantasy series based on the mythical world of Ædracmoræ, a place that is home to Ancients, guardians and men, dragons, deathawks and downy fliers, magic and machines.

The series title comes from the seven ancient mirrors scattered beneath the earth, mirrors that provide magical links from one kingdom to another.

Tyler: Since “The Wrekening” is a sequel to “Dragon Queen,” do you recommend people read “Dragon Queen” first?

Jayel: I do, although a recent reviewer, who read “The Wrekening” first, indicated that knowing the goal and eventual end result of Yávië’s actions in “The Wrekening” added to his reading experience of “Dragon Queen.”

I think that reading “Dragon Queen” first will provide that intimate familiarity with the world and its inhabitants that readers often enjoy in a series. “Dragon Queen” contains the building blocks of the Ædracmoræn kingdoms and the history of Yávië the Dragon Queen. “The Wrekening” launches the reader forward with Cwen, the queen’s estranged niece.

Tyler: Are there characters from “Dragon Queen” whom the reader will meet again in “The Wrekening”?

Jayel: Yávië is back, now in command of the Seven Kingdoms as the official Dragon Queen. The guardian Nall and the sorceress Näeré make appearances, as do a number of the Ancients and dragons, and the obligatory downy flier.

Tyler: Ian, I know you had some questions about Nall and her minor appearance in the book.

Ian: Why didn’t you use some of the main characters from “The Dragon Queen” as the main characters of “The Wrekening?” Why did you use Nall’s daughter instead of Nall?

Jayel: The plot for “The Wrekening” required characters that traveled a less savory path than Yávië and the Guardians from “Dragon Queen.” Cwen and her companions met that criterion. Yávië and Nall had very specific callings by the end of “Dragon Queen” and they were too well known in Ædracmoræ to take on the quest for the Wreken heart shards, though Nall did volunteer. Writing Nall’s daughter also allowed readers to see Nall develop in a very different light.

Tyler: Thanks, Jayel. That makes perfect sense. It reminds me of the Arthurian legends, where King Arthur is introduced early on, but then once he becomes king, he has to see to running the kingdom, which isn’t as interesting as having adventures, so the stories shift in focus to his knights and their quests.

But Ian, I know you were interested also in finding out more about the new characters who appear in “The Wrekening.”

Ian: Where did you find the inspiration for Cwen?

Jayel: The Guardians Nall and Näeré were the inspiration for Cwen. The question – If Nall and Näeré had a child, what would she be like? – refused to go away, and so did Cwen. Cwen is the quintessential rebellious child, determined not to be like her parents. One of the things I love about her is her personal struggle for independence. Outwardly she appears so sure of herself, but we catch glimpses of another Cwen, the daughter in search of paternal love and approval.

Tyler: I understand you depict Cwen as a strong woman who does not submit to any man. Is she modeled on any particular female archetypes in Celtic literature?

Jayel: Not particularly. In Cwen we find a quasi-medieval idea of knighthood, with a womanly twist. She is a combination of the battle-hardened warrior prepared to fight for honor and justice, at least as she sees them, and a gentler knight, one who defends the defenseless and can pass as a lady among the more civilized members of Ædracmoræn society.

Tyler: I know many novels in recent years have tried to retell Celtic literature from the women’s viewpoint and depict strong female characters. Marion Zimmer Bradley’s “The Mists of Avalon” especially comes to mind. Do you feel such works accurately depict women of that period, or are they more projections upon the past of our own twenty-first century issues?

Jayel: In my opinion, it’s a bit of both. I believe that the fundamental qualities of women (and men) are the same today as they were long ago. There have always been women who were submissive and silent and those who were forceful and outspoken. We tend to assign many modern freedoms to the women of today’s fantasy, while staying true to the legendary strength of the women in the Arthurian lore. Honorable qualities, such as courage, strength and truth aren’t particularly masculine or feminine, but represent the best of humanity. It is these qualities that are exemplified in the women of Celtic legend and the women of modern fantasy.

I strive for an ice and fire quality in my female characters. On one hand they exhibit unshakeable courage and stubbornness, which means they either win or die – giving up is not an option. The flip side is that they can express a warmth and shy grace that makes them attractive to the reader.

Tyler: Well said, Jayel. So much of what we see today we think of as new when it has really been around since the beginning of time. And, of course, love has been part of the human story since the beginning. While I understand Cwen refusing to submit to any man, I also understand there are men in pursuit of her affections?

Jayel: Cwen is a young woman without much faith in romance, so she is constantly off balance due to the endless dogging of the thief Caen and the less overt attention of Klaed, a diplomat’s son.

Tyler: But will Cwen find love, or is that a secret you won’t tell but leave up to the reader to find out?

Jayel: Cwen’s fierce desire for independence tends to handicap her relationships. Readers will have to follow the series into “Quondam” to discover where, and with whom, Cwen finally settles.

Ian: Where did you find the inspiration for Caen?

Jayel: Caen was inspired by several real-life folks I have known over the years. He is an enigma, that person that we love one minute and despise the next. He is reluctant to admit to goodness, but not truly successful at being a ‘bad boy’ either.

Tyler: Jayel, the plot of “The Wrekening” centers upon the need to destroy the Wreken Shards before they will destroy your fantasy world of Aedracmorae. Where did you come up with the idea for the Wreken Shards?

Jayel: As a child, one of my favorite tales was about the great legless dragons called wyrms and the magical power of their heart shards. A large piece of amber, complete with a misshapen pocket of air and a large ant, served as further inspiration for the symbiotic relationship between the ancient wyrms and the ethereal race known as the Wreken.

Tyler: Presuming the Wreken Shards are destroyed and Aedracmorae is saved, can readers expect more novels in the “Ancient Mirrors” series?

Jayel: They can. “Damselflies,” the next book of the “Ancient Mirrors” series, will be released November 1st of this year, with “Quondam” following in the summer of 2008.

“Damselflies” tells the story of Arcinae, the last Damselfly. It is a tale of twisted legends, broken promises and humanity’s never-ending fear of what it does not understand.

In “Quondam,” a sorceress tempts fate by binding a dragon’s seed within the womb of a mortal woman, forcing Yávië and Cwen to venture into the unlikely realm of a dragonspawn.

Tyler: Wow, you have been busy writing. What sorts of difficulties have you faced in writing a series? Did you have the entire series all mapped out in your head when you started writing and publishing your books as J.K. Rowling seems to have done with the Harry Potter novels, or do you write them one at a time and see where each one will take you?

Jayel: A series requires that character development take place over a long (several books) period of time. Even in the final episode readers expect the characters to be unfolding in a fresh, though familiar, way. It’s difficult sometimes to rein characters in and stop their headlong gallop into oblivion.

For me, the entire series is like a single story. I’ve always known where the characters were headed and the ultimate reason for their existence.

Tyler: If it were at all possible, do you think you would physically want to live in the fantasy world you have created, or are you content to live with it only in your mind?

Jayel: My husband would argue that I already live in a fantasy world. He delights in telling people that he never knows which “Ancient Mirrors” character he will meet over morning coffee.

I love what I do, and I am quite content with the magic of the mind. Given the opportunity, I would enjoy traveling through history, both real and imagined. I am an adventurer to the marrow in my bones, so traveling our existing world and writing the realms beyond, keeps the itch of wanderlust salved.

Ian: Ms. Gibson, why did you start writing?

Jayel: Wow, that is a heavy question. The truth is I didn’t have a choice. I think that writing chooses the person, rather than the other way around. Once the story was in my head, I had to get it out. It is the last thing I think about before I sleep and the first thing on my mind when I wake.

There is a lot of truth in the old cliché: a writer writes.

Ian: And what is your favorite thing about your books?

Jayel: The Ancients, Willowort and Rosewort are my favorite characters because they are the point where it all began, but it is the communication with readers that brings me the most pleasure. Nothing is better than meeting and chatting with folks who have read the books. Whether it is at a book signing or through an email, I love that interaction.

Tyler: I mentioned at the beginning of the interview, Jayel, that you left teaching to pursue writing full-time. What advice do you have for others who wish to make a career out of writing?

Jayel: Burst your ego before you begin. Join a constructively critical writers’ group. Attend writers’ workshops, conferences and conventions to become familiar with the commercial aspects of writing and network with others in the business.

Tyler: Before we close, Jayel, would you tell our readers where they can go for more information about “The Wrekening” and where to purchase a copy?

Jayel: Thank you, Tyler. For additional information and author-signed copies, or to contact my publicist, visit the “Ancient Mirrors” website at [http://www.ancientmirrors.com]. The books in the “Ancient Mirrors” series are available wherever books are sold; just ask at a local bookstore or order from any online bookseller.

Tyler: Thank you, Ian, for taking the time to join us today. And of course, thank you, Jayel. It’s been a real pleasure. We’ll be looking forward to your next book. I hope you will come back then.

Little girls in our nation today are devoted Disney princess fans. With the treasured favorites, such as Cinderella and Belle of Beauty and the Beast, branching out into second and third films it is not surprising that they are getting so much exposure. Ask any five year old what sort of birthday cake they want and it will typically be one of the many Disney princesses.

The dream of being a fairytale princess kissing a frog to find the handsome, dashing prince has been a dream of young girls for years. Disney took that child fantasy to a new level be bringing a fairytale to life for the big screen in Enchanted.

Enchanted is a delightful mix of cartoon characters such as Cinderella and the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. There is even a poison apple in the mix just like the movie. Disney has brought this movie to viewers in either high-definition or standard-definition. Satellite TV offers both to subscribers this month in their pay-per-view lineup.

Amy Adams plays the princess Giselle who is cast out of her fairytale world by the evil Queen Narissa, played by Susan Sarandum. The evil queen plot is to keep Giselle from marrying her son, Prince Edward played by James Marsden.

Giselle and Edward meet in the kingdom of Andalasia where they share a “true love’s kiss”. When Giselle is banished from the kingdom by the Queen she finds herself thrust into the heart of Manhattan. A divorced lawyer, played by Patrick Dempsey, and his daughter help the confused Giselle by giving her a place to stay.

Dempsey’s character, Robert, is wary of the stranger who is wandering around in a fairytale princess outfit with a naivety similar to a young child. His daughter is clearly taken by the princess and her enchanted singing.

Giselle wants desperately to return to her Prince Edward and asks for their help. The Prince finds his way to Manhattan through the magic well in Andalasia where Giselle fell into our world. He searches for his true love providing comedic relief to the movie.

This movie is an exceptional family film. Satellite TV subscribers with an HD receiver or Plus HD DVR will be have the option of seeing this pay-per-view movie in stunning high-definition with vivid colors and crystal clear picture. Satellite TV’s decision to offer the high-def version of this movie could not have been better. The satellite television provider has been noted as having the largest offering of HD content of all providers including cable. The Enchanted high-def experience is one that will transport your whole family into the world of Giselle and Robert.